Embossing or emboss printing is a printing method in which characters, figures or other elements are formed as a raised surface in or on a print medium. Frequently, the raised surface of the embossed elements is also printed on, with ink or toner for example, to highlight the embossing. Embossed printing on a raised surface of a print medium adds dimension and tactility to the printed element.
Embossing is traditionally used to make printed matter more noticeable or impressive. For example, business cards, letterhead, invitation cards and greeting cards routinely have embossed elements, such as names, symbols, logos, etc. Other items that are traditionally embossed include trademarks, official seals and decorative images. Additionally, emboss printing is used to produce Braille writing and embossed graphs or the like in publications for visually impaired people that read by touch.
Traditionally, a number of methods have been used to create embossed elements on a print medium. One traditional method utilizes a male (120) and a female die (110), examples of which are illustrated in FIG. 1. The dies (110, 120) are used to mechanically press an embossed element into a print medium. The male (120) and the female (110) dies have a raised and a recessed pattern, respectively, of characters, graphics, Braille text or the like. A print medium is placed between the dies and mechanical pressure is applied in order to emboss the print medium with the image on the dies (110, 120).
This method is suitable for producing large amounts of high-quality embossed items. However, a precise milling machine and significant processing time are needed to form the male (120) and female (110) press dies. Thus, the production cost of the press dies can be substantial. Furthermore, the dies have a fixed geometry and produce the same embossing each time used. If a different embossing is desired, new dies will have to be produced and installed, which may be expensive and time consuming.
A second traditional method of forming an embossed image utilizes a foamable paper sheet. According to this method, an initial image pattern is formed on the foamable paper sheet with a black toner that is highly heat-absorptive. The foamable paper sheet carrying the toner image is then heated using, for example, infrared rays. The foamable paper sheet contains foamable microcapsules. As the temperature of the black toner rises, the adjacent foamable microcapsules produce bubbles, thus expanding the portions of the paper sheet in contact with the toner to form an embossed image.
It should be noted, however, that the production of the foamable paper containing foamable microcapsules requires a specifically constructed apparatus. Consequently, the production cost of the foamable paper may be prohibitive for some applications.
A third method of forming an embossed image utilizes an adhesive ink and resin. According to this method, an image to be embossed is printed on a print medium in a highly adhesive ink using an ordinary printer. The adhesive ink thus forms an initial printed image. Then, thermoplastic resin powder is dusted over the print medium. The thermoplastic resin powder adheres to the printed image formed of the highly adhesive ink. After removing the thermoplastic resin powder that has not collected in the adhesive ink of the printed image, heat is applied in order to dry the ink and to melt and completely fix the remaining thermoplastic resin powder in place over the printed image. Consequently, the resin powder forms an embossed image registered over the initial printed image.
There is some significant expense for the materials and equipment required, e.g., the resin powder, adhesive ink, printer and heating or curing apparatus. Consequently, this method may not be very suitable for use in small offices or homes where space and resources may be limited.
A similar method, that eliminates the need for specifically adhesive ink is illustrated in FIG. 2. As shown in FIG. 2, an electrophotographic printer or a laser printer is used as an initial image-forming unit to form an initial image on a print medium.
A corona charging device (212) creates a field of charges on the surface of a cylindrical drum (220). A modulated laser (210), directed through an optical system (214), writes a latent image in the field of charges applied to the drum (220). This latent image is developed with charged toner from a development device (216, 218). The charges in the toner cause the toner to adhere to the latent image on the drum (220). The toner image is then transferred from the drum (220) to a sheet of print medium (224) by a transfer roller (222).
Then, another part of the corona charging device (212) charges the print medium and electric charges are stored in the toner of the image already transferred to the print medium. Almost no electric charges are retained in the areas of the print medium (224) containing no toner. An electrostatic latent image is thus formed on the print medium that corresponds to the printed image rendered in toner.
Next, a thermoplastic resin powder is applied to the print medium by a resin applicator (228). The resin will only stick to the latent electrostatic image due to the electrostatic attractive force. The thickness of the thermoplastic resin powder is dependant upon the amount of electric charge of the electrostatic image and the particle size of the thermoplastic resin powder. Thereafter, the thermoplastic resin powder that does not adhere to the latent image is removed. An infrared heater (226) heats the remaining thermoplastic resin powder. The heated powder is fused to form an embossed image on the print medium (224) that is registered with the image printed in toner.
While this method is effective in producing embossed images in a relatively efficient manner, this process is limited to printing and embossing the same image. That is, it is difficult to emboss an image on the print medium that has not already been printed on the print medium with toner. Sometimes, it may be desired to emboss an image on the print medium without also printing that image.
If an image, separate from an embossed image is to be printed on the print medium, it is traditionally thought necessary to provide a separate downloading path for the data defining the image to be embossed. This added downloading path increases the cost to the manufacturer of the printer and embossing devices as well as being expensive in computational resources.
In one of various possible embodiments, a method of providing printing and embossing data includes transmitting print image data defining an image to be printed and emboss image data defining an image to be embossed, where the data is transmitted over a single data path to a common recipient processor.
In another embodiment, a system for producing printed and embossed materials includes a host device outputting print image data and emboss image data, a printing device in communication with the host device, and an embossing device in communication with the printing device. The host device transmits both the print image data and the emboss image data over a single data path.
In another embodiment, a printing device includes a communications port for receiving data from a host device, a print engine for printing a print image based on data from the host device, and a controller for processing data from the host device for use by the print engine. The controller is programmed to separate print image data from emboss image data received from the host device, and process the emboss image data for use by an embossing device.
In another embodiment, an embossing device includes a control unit programmed to receive emboss image data from a printing device and emboss a print medium in accordance with the emboss image data received from the printing device.
In another embodiment, a processor-readable medium contains processor-readable instructions for a controller of a printing device. The instructions, when executed, cause the controller to: receive print image data and emboss image data, process the print image data and the emboss image data, and transmit the emboss image data to an embossing engine.
In another embodiment, a computer-readable medium contains computer-readable instructions which, when executed, cause a computer to transmit print image data and emboss image data to a printing device over a single data path.